By Tasnim Oyshi
Staff Writer
Slocum’s Bowling, Bar and Grille was founded by Lewis Slocum Sr. in 1939 when he converted a truck repair and car dealership into eight lanes with a snack bar. When his son, Lew Slocum, assumed leadership, he added four more lanes and bought the bar next door in the mid-1950s. Chip Slocum took charge in 1984 and attached a kitchen for the Grille in 2000.
About a six-minute drive from the College, the family-run business has been serving the surrounding community for more than 86 years. The local establishment provides students with a place to relax and have fun, especially during their College Nights on Tuesdays, which have been going on for about 25 years.
When league bowling ends at 8:15 p.m., students quickly take over the lanes, knowing they could be on standby until 11 p.m. if they don’t. Those waiting go to the bar next door and try out the specials.
“It’s a good night,” Slocum says. “Used to be a lot of work, but now, the kids are all good here. Don’t throw no bottles, throw drinks at anybody.”
He recalls when there used to be fights between baseball, hockey and rugby teams at Rider University and the College years ago. He praises the safety and intelligence of the current students, noting how there’s always a designated driver in the groups that come in nowadays.
With the frequency of students visiting, many of the staff have built bonds with familiar faces.
“We’ve become really close with, like, the baseball team, the football team and a lot of them hang out outside of here,” says bartender Dominique Jarden. “A couple of the bartenders are really into softball. So they would show up at the baseball games for the kids. So I feel like we have a group of people that’s been pretty close and this is their place to come.”
Other than college kids, customers can range from five-years-old to even 100-years-old, according to Slocum. Many tend to be older, having been visiting the place for years and going to senior leagues.
“Mostly just regulars come here,” Jarden says. “A lot of people don’t realize that it’s not just your average bowling alley ball.”
What sets Slocum’s apart is that they prioritize a sense of community. “Some people have been going here for 30, 40 years,” Slocum says. “And we treat them all like family. That’s why we’re one of the most successful bowling alleys in this area. We take care if somebody’s not feeling good. We take them, drive them home, we do whatever it takes.”
Even students who have graduated come back every once in a while. Every February, members of a College frat from years ago have a reunion at Slocum’s. “It’s a fraternity from, like, the 60s,” says Jarden. “They all stay at a hotel by the hospital and a lot of them travel far to get here.”
“They’ve been coming here every year for like, 20 years for a reunion,” Slocum says. “And I'll go to, like, I don't know, Cancun or somewhere like that, and somebody will have a Slocum shirt on. It’s just crazy, you know. I never thought about that stuff, you know, how many people have ties to this.”
Much of the business’ successful following comes from the owner’s commitment. Slocum is used to working seven days a week and doing a lot of the maintenance work himself.
“I do ball work. I drill bowing balls, you know. I’m the electrician, the plumber, the ball driller around here. So that’s my day,” he says. “I swear to God, from, like, when I was 25 till I was 58, I never went anywhere on vacation.”
Slocum’s busy schedule isn’t his only challenge. Despite his loyal customers, he faces competition from bigger bowling alleys that offer games and often generate more money.
“We generate a lot of money but we spend a lot of money,” he says. “Salaries are probably one of my cheapest things. It’s all the other stuff, you know, the electric and gas and sewer bill and water bill, they’re crazy.”
As with other places that serve alcohol, there’s also the threat of students getting in with fake ID’s and the business being punished for it. Slocum remembers how colleges used to consult local businesses when talking to students about rules and regulations surrounding alcohol and drugs. He feels that kids don’t typically know the consequences he could face if he unknowingly serves underage people.
“What I don’t like is if you come in at 17-years-old, give me a fake ID and I can serve you, then I get arrested and nothing happens to you,” he says. “And that’s wrong. It’s always been that way but someday it has to change because there’s too much liability now. My liability insurance is $50,000 a year just because of the bar, you know.”
Just three years ago, Slocum thought he might have to close. After making a price change, he saw a big difference. “I didn’t have to do that more but I try and keep the same customers happy,” he says. “And I gotta stop worrying about them. I gotta start worrying about me because I gotta stay in business, you know. But it’s challenging. It's always a challenge.”
He’s also hired someone to do social media promotion, which he has found to be helpful. Now, he thinks about what the property has in store for the future. Slocum is the third generation of owners in the family business and is not sure that will continue. He has three sons but none want to take over.
“I want to try and sell to some guy for income. There’s no 401K since we’re family run, you know. We have money but we just never had a savings plan,” Slocum says. “I think it’s going to end after me and I don’t know when, but, yeah, I can’t say anybody’s not going to buy and keep it going.
